Both Tuckers
by nikham3
Summary: Will revisiting the past only bring drama to Kate Spencer's life? Read & Review COMPLETE!
1. Thanksgiving at the Tucker Home

Kate added the final touch to her mascara and smiled at herself in the mirror. She turned around and saw Scott standing in the doorway of the dorm she and Beth shared. In the background she could see Heather and Carrie in their dorm laughing and talking loud enough for her to hear.

"Ready to go?" Scott asked. Kate nodded and they held hands on the way to the car. It was a windy Thanksgiving Day and they were on their way to the Tucker's house.

_Ten months later, _Kate thought, _I can't believe my first real relationship has lasted this long. Of course, we've been working hard and there have been a few squabbles, but I'm pretty sure I learned so much from the other Tucker that this one has to be perfect compared to him._

Dinner was just being served as Kate and Scott walked in and Mrs. Tucker greeted them while she dished out some stuffing to John.

"Kate! Come in, sweetie. Let's put some meat on those fragile little bones!" Mrs. Tucker joked.

Kate often wondered how such a sweet, older lady could raise such a pig like John. It just didn't make sense that this plump little woman could look the other way as John Tucker brought home slut after slut, night after night. John still lived at home, because… well his house is a mansion. Unlike Scott, who yearned for his sense of independence and freedom from the shadow of his older brother, John enjoyed the daily pampering of his mother and the huge house.

"Hey Kate. How are you?" John asked.

Kate smiled, "I'm fine, how are you?"

"Good," he replied. Something didn't seem so "good" to Kate about him. It was then she realized that John did not have a date at the Thanksgiving table. There could be two explanations for this: he didn't love any of his girlfriends enough to bring them to meet his parents or he didn't have a girlfriend. Kate almost laughed out loud at the latter suggestion.

The meal passed by quickly. Mr. Tucker led most of the conversation with John about various sports teams, the university basketball team, and other sports subjects. After the meal, Mrs. Tucker led them into the living room where they sat around the TV, watching the football game of the day. Mrs. Tucker brought in the pies and John and his father discussed the game in fits of yelling.

After finishing her pie, Kate excused herself from the room to go to the bathroom (mostly because she was paranoid that she still had turkey in her teeth). As she opened the door when she finished using the facilities, she took a few steps and saw John Tucker coming towards her. She smiled and continued walking when she noticed John had stopped.

"Kate, can I talk to you?"

Baffled, Kate replied, "Um, yes."

John led her further down the hallway to a library of some sort, probably Mr. Tucker's office or study.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Kate, I don't know how to say this. Remember when we were dating and I asked you to be my girlfriend? Remember that big speech I gave you about being whipped and such?" He waited for her to nod and she did. "Well, Kate, I honestly… I can't find love in anyone else. I never told you this, but I'm pretty sure I loved you when we were dating. I might even… Oh, you're gonna laugh. I might still love you."

In all, with his hesitating and nervousness, Kate felt each word hit her like a punch to the stomach. In her heart, she always knew something like this would happen. She knew she should've never broken John Tucker's heart.


	2. Conversation and Coffee

"Seriously?" Kate asked, still stunned at John's admission of his love for her. She didn't know what to say. Obviously, she was dating his brother and she couldn't even imagine loving John Tucker. Maybe she should just say that.

"John, I'm dating your little brother. How could I tell you I love you?" Kate asked, slightly angry. He shouldn't be telling her this at Thanksgiving, while his brother sat unknowingly in an adjacent room. He shouldn't even love her!

"I don't know what to say," John stammered, "I just, I can't stop thinking about you."

"John, I can't love you, I'm sorry." Kate walked out the door of the study without glancing back to see John's heartbroken face.

The rest of the night was awkward until Kate and Scott decided it was time to leave. Kate still found it uncomfortable to talk to Scott in the ride back to her dorm. She desperately wanted to tell him about what John had said to her but she knew it would only cause conflict. So she rode home in almost silence and kissed him goodnight as she jumped out of his car.

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After working the morning shift at the restaurant, Kate went for a jog, showered, and found herself napping on her bed in the dorm she shared with Beth. Kate didn't have any classes so she enjoyed a little free time to herself. Now she stared in groggy confusion at her ceiling and smiled at her poster of Orlando Bloom she had sloppily taped there the day she and Beth moved in.

A familiar ringtone startled Kate and she reached over to her nightstand for her cell phone. She flipped it open and sleepily answered, "H-hello?"

"Kate? It's John. I was just calling to say I'm sorry for springing that news on you yesterday. Do you wanna maybe get some coffee with me and we can talk about it?" she heard the older Tucker's voice on the other end.

"Um, John, I don't think that's such a good idea. I don't want to go on a date with you."

"No, no not a date!" John hurried to say. "Kate please, I just need to explain myself to you. You know I won't stop bothering you."

Kate laughed inside her head as she remembered his persistence to get that first date with the Good Kate. Well, at least that's what she called her alter-ego, the one who had broken John's heart.

"Fine, fine, I'll meet you at the campus coffeehouse in half an hour," Kate agreed hesitantly.

True to her word, Kate walked in the door half an hour later, teeth brushed and wearing casual jeans and a t-shirt. She ordered a latte and sat at a table across from John Tucker, former captain of her high school basketball team.

"Kate, you look so good," John blushed a little.

"John, you know I didn't come here to talk like that."

He smiled his perfectly white smile. "Well, ok let's talk then. See Kate, lately I've just been reliving last year and wondering what could've been. I already was, you know, the man of the year, and I _thought_ you were the most amazing girl in school and we could've been the golden couple. Obviously, you're not the girl I got to know but that kiss… Do you remember that kiss we had on our first date? I never forgot it. The electric static that came from your lips… what was that, by the way?"

Kate giggled, "A 'boob-cam.' The girls pinned a video-camera to me to monitor our date." It seemed so juvenile now.

John laughed, "Well, I guess it just made you more special."

She smiled but remembered her boyfriend. She couldn't forget about Scott while John Tucker sat here charming and luring her into his deep dreamy eyes.

"I guess Scott's lucky to have me," she said.

"You have no idea how lucky he is. Kate, I see you on campus almost everyday and it feels like a high school crush again. Granted, I never really had crushes, but I just can't stop thinking about you. I can't stop thinking about our night out on the boat and the way you humiliated me, time after time. And yeah, I've dated other girls since you, but none of them have made me happy the way you have."

"John, that was the Good Kate. The Good Kate fell in love with you, and I've fallen in love with Scott."

"But you're the same person! So you changed yourself a little, but I'm pretty sure I saw beyond that and fell in love with the real Kate. You never even gave me a chance to meet the real Kate."

"The real Kate is in love with Scott."

"I'm in love with the real Kate. Please," his voice got softer, "Please let me get to know you."

She didn't quite know what happened to her then, but her head got dizzy and John was moving closer. Or was she moving closer to him? Their lips touched and stayed together for a few seconds, when Kate finally knew what she was doing. She pulled away in a frantic effort to lessen her betrayal and in the next few seconds she was bolting out the door. Her coffee meeting with John Tucker must be forgotten at all costs.


	3. First Date

"Of course we know how charming he is! We all dated him, Kate Spencer!" Beth shouted.

"Yeah, Kate, he lured all three of us into his bed and now he's coming back for you because he just hasn't uncorked you yet," Heather agreed.

Carrie joined in, "Kate, just forget about him. Forget about that kiss. You have Scott and he loves you more than anything in the world. That's all that matters."

"You don't think there's any chance that he genuinely loves me and maybe I could give him a shot?" Kate asked.

"Nope!" Heather answered quickly.

"Besides, what are you gonna do?" Carrie continued. "Option one: Dump Scott and date John, in hopes that he will eventually love you; Option two: Stay with Scott and only see John at awkward family reunions and dinners; or option three: date both of them."

"Haha, c'mon Kate you have to agree the second one is the best, you can't just date both guys. That's silly," Beth laughed.

Kate paused, "Not that silly…"

"Seriously?" Heather asked.

"Yeah, why not?"

"Because that would be dating two brothers!" Carrie shouted. "That's some sort of incest!"

Kate stood from her bed and walked over to the counter to grab another cookie. As she chewed, she thought out her plan. She swallowed and continued, "Well, it's not like a permanent thing. I'm really interested in giving John a chance but I don't want to leave the good thing I have with Scott, even if it has gotten a little boring…"

"Boring?" Beth asked. "If it's gotten boring, then you need to explore other options!" Beth was rewarded with a punch to the arm by Carrie.

"That's awful, Beth!" Carrie scolded. "Listen, Kate, you think about it because you know we're all gonna choose Scott's side. Unless you insist John has changed."

"He has!" Kate replied.

"Well, then just think about it and you'll know which option you can choose," Heather said.

************************************************************************

Later that evening, Kate fumbled with her cell phone. She had never had to do this, and she knew that her friends were all against her so she was all alone in this.

"Hello?" the voice on the other end said.

"Hey, do you maybe wanna go out tonight?" she hesitated.

"Of course," he replied. They agreed on when and where, and at 7 pm that night Kate was seated across from a handsome man and smiling.

"Kate, you truly do look amazing," he smiled.

She looked down at her red strapless dress and smiled. "So how do you know this place?" she changed the subject. "It's not exactly the most popular thing I've seen."

"Actually, if you look around, it's pretty swanky," he laughed. "Plus, I know the owner." He smiled again and she looked into his eyes. Maybe his lure was working. Or he did love her. "And I got us some free wine. I know, we're underage and such but my dad really knows this guy and he really loves my family."

She smiled, he really did care. Maybe this wouldn't be too bad right now.

"Hey John," she said, "Is it okay if you don't tell Scott about us right now? I mean, this is just a free trial sort of thing because I don't know if I'm ready to leave Scott or if I can trust you…"

"Kate, I got it. Let's just enjoy ourselves."

The night flew by and it felt to Kate just like the night on the lake. They laughed and they talked and they danced and they laughed some more. Honestly, in that short hour or so Kate felt like she had known John all her life. And nothing felt different than what it had been before. Maybe the real Kate had loved John all along. Or maybe the alcohol had been setting in.

Again, her heart got ahead of her mind and the rest was a blur. Yes, the alcohol had definitely set in.

When the dizziness in her head settled down, Kate finally opened her eyes. She had expected the first thing she would to be Orlando Bloom's curly locks, but she didn't see him. She saw a white ceiling. _Did Beth take my poster down? Ok, so Beth doesn't really like Orlando Bloom and she thinks he's a sissy but that is no excuse to take my poster down in the middle of the… _Kate stopped. _This isn't my room. It's not Scott's room because he has a picture of Cameron Diaz on his ceiling. Oh goodness. I couldn't have!_

Kate sat upright in bed and realized she wasn't wearing clothes. _I did._ She grabbed her red dress off the floor and thanked God it was red and not black like John's heaps of piles on the floor. She quickly put it on, grabbed her red clutch and heels and gripped the door handle. She froze when she heard voices downstairs.

"Want some more coffee?" Kate heard Mrs. Tucker ask.

"Sure, Mom," a familiar voice answered. Scott. She whispered a curse.

Kate backed into the room and closed the door lightly. Trapped. Wait. She remembered the back door. Scott had told her how happy he was that John had a balcony door so he didn't have to see all his dates escape through the front door. Balcony. Kate looked around the room and spotted a door. She hopped over some clothes and swung the door open. But how was she going to get home? Shiny keys caught her eye and Kate snatched them out of a pocket of the pants John had been wearing last night, which were now on the floor, without knowing what she was doing. No, she knew what she was doing. She was borrowing John's jeep because she couldn't risk Scott walking into John's room and seeing her. At least she hadn't brought her own car. Scott would've seen it right away.

_That was close,_ Kate thought. She pulled up to her dorm in John's jeep and breathed a breath of relief.

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Ok, if you're gonna add me to your story alert and favorite story and whatnot, could you please review? Tell me to update or something. It hurts my feelings when I get like five story + alerts and only like two reviews :(


	4. Mother Tucker

Dear my wonderful readers,

I realize it has been a long long long time since I've updated. Every time I received an email with a review I had this sudden urge to upload my story but I was always on a different computer than the ones my prewritten documents were on. Yeah that's right, prewritten. I remember a while ago I wrote all the chapters in one weekend and saved them so basically I know how it's going to end and such… Well, keep reviewing and that will make me want to update more. (Also, ten reviews for one chapter?! You guys are awesome!)

Love,

Your truly grateful writer.

P.S. I've been watching the first season of Desperate Housewives where Jesse Metcalfe plays a teenage boy named John so it's difficult not to confuse him with the John in this story. Well, have a good read.

"Holy jamma lamma Kate!" Carrie exclaimed as Kate walked into the dorm. Kate had thought she escaped the terrible situation but it had only just begun. She looked down at her wrinkled red dress and looked up at her friends. Her face was evidently distressed and Heather jumped up from her seat on the floor of the small dorm.

"He didn't…" (She whispered now) "…date-rape you, did he?" Heather asked, concerned.

"No," Kate sighed, "Let me explain! I wanted to go on a perfectly harmless date and I—there was wine… and dancing… and laughing… I just didn't know what I had done."

"Gosh, Kate," Beth laughed, "You've become me!"

Carrie giggled and turned to Kate, "But you didn't like it… did you?"

Kate paused. Of course she didn't really remember it. But she didn't wake up angry or sad. In fact, she woke up pretty happy now that she thought about it. Did that mean she really did like being with John? "I don't know, maybe."

"So which Tucker?" Heather demanded.

Kate thought. So she had an amazing date with John. She had had amazing dates with Scott before. So they had slept together (Kate still wasn't convinced it was a total accident). She had slept with Scott of course. But it was a matter of love in the end, wasn't it? She had thought she loved Scott but lately, she was thinking her time with him had come to an end. No, of course she hadn't been thinking that. That was John Tucker getting in her head. But maybe she loved John? No, she couldn't tell that from one date. Easy solution: another date with John.

"I have to go on another date with him."

"Seriously? You know this is just gonna get worse the more you keep it going," Carrie said.

"This is a huge decision. I can't just wake up and decide I love one of these guys! I might end up marrying one!"

"Well, you're gonna have to talk to someone who knows them both better," Beth said seriously.

"Who's that?" Heather asked.

"Mother Tucker," Carrie answered.

************************************************************************

Kate had called John and made sure he wasn't home. She also knew Scott was in his chemistry class. So Mrs. Tucker was home presumably alone and safe to talk to.

"Ok, come pick me up in about half an hour," Kate told Heather, explaining she had to return John's jeep.

So there she stood on the Tuckers' doorstep for the third time in the last few days. The door opened a minute or two later and Mrs. Tucker's face made Kate smile. Kate may be a slut, but Mrs. Tucker would always accept her.

"Kate, darling, come in let's have some coffee."

So there they sat a few minutes later in the kitchen in complete silence as Mrs. Tucker prepared two warm mugs.

"Now Scott isn't here sweetie… or is it John you're looking for?" Mrs. Tucker said sweetly but Kate knew it was a cut directed towards her.

"You know?"

"Bunny, nothing happens in this house I do not know about. You don't think I saw you and John drunkenly running up the stairs last night? Or how about this morning when I saw you all cuddled up next to my big boy as I attempted to clean his room? (As you can see, my attempts are in vain.)" She laughed.

Kate put her mug down. She really felt like she let this woman down. "How could you be so nice to me then?"

"Now I already liked you the moment I met you Katie, and I thought you were perfect for my baby boy, so I guess I just love you like the daughter I never had. But honey, John is so attractive that Scott's had his heart broken by his little girlfriends before. I remember the very first time it happened in fourth grade when Scott's girlfriend (Kimberly, I believe her name was) had given a valentine to John instead of him. He was crushed but in the years to come John had stolen sixth-grade Barbara, eighth-grade Haley, tenth-grade Sarah, and just before he met you John took twelfth-grade Anna. I didn't love any of those girls as much as I love you dearie, but I certainly know that you have a reason for two-timing my boys."

Kate sighed, "Mrs. Tucker, I love Scott but things are just dimming down. I mean I suppose you feel that way with Mr. Tucker seeing as you two hardly say a few words to each other, I mean if I could say that. No offense or anything."

"None taken, Mr. Tucker and I have our differences."

"But I still love Scott and I don't want to lose him. And John came to me the other day and told me he still loved me and one thing led to another and one drunken mistake…"

"Oh darling how do you think I met Mr. Tucker?!" Mrs. Tucker put her mug down and gestured with her arms the following. "Baby, I was so sick of men I found myself downtown and drunk as a hobo. Mr. Tucker comes up holding his sobriety in one hand and a beer in the other. Well let's just say he dropped that sobriety and held onto the liquor. Next thing I know we're getting married by little men dressed in alien costumes and a year or so later I realize I could've done worse."

"But there was never any love?"

"No, darling of course there's love. The way Robert and I were living at the time, there was no way we would've found someone on our own. This may be an oxymoron, but I guess God wanted us to get drunk and find our own destiny."

"So what are you telling me to do?" Kate asked. A sudden thought hit her. _Why am I not discussing this with my own mother?_ _Oh yeah, because she's probably still in bed with last night's date even though it's three in the afternoon._ Kate remembered the night her mother had "sent Skip home." Well, Skip managed to find his way back and now Ms. Spencer managed to find a different Skip every day it seemed. _Mrs. Tucker is like the mother I never had, _Kate felt sorry for herself.

"Honey, you don't worry about love right now. Love will find you when it's right."

"But I can't just keep dating both of them until I figure out which one I love," Kate protested.

"Okay, you want something simple? When you find yourself in someone's arms and you feel yourself wanting to be in the others', that's when you'll know who to choose," Mrs. Tucker got up to put her mug in the dishwasher and Kate felt her talk was over. She got up, said her goodbyes and looked out front to see Heather pull up in her car, just in time.


	5. Apologies

Sorry for getting your hopes up on a new chapter…

But every time I get a new review in my inbox it kills me a little bit. My laptop is currently dismantled as my dad is trying to repair it and he just needs to wait for a part to come in the mail. All of my documents to continue this story are on that laptop. But I have them written, which is the good part. So as soon as I get my laptop up and running I'll post the new chapter and I hope you won't be disappointed with it. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed because it makes me happy to see so many people like my story and continue to read it. I like my story too. And I think I've forgotten how it ended. So keep your fingers crossed that that part comes soon.


	6. Deja Vu Date

Well, my laptop is broken and i finally transferred documents onto the family PC. I have all the chapters prewritten so i can update regularly now. So enjoy your well deserved chapter. And review :)

Love, Author. haha.

She felt nauseous. She literally felt sick to the stomach. Okay, so maybe that's a little melodramatic but Kate knew she was queasy. Two months had gone by and she'd been seeing John and Scott regularly. Her one year anniversary with Scott was tonight. He was coming any moment now.

Kate could hardly believe it had been three hundred and sixty-five days since she went on her first completely unromantic date with Scott. They had gone to the movies and they hadn't even held hands. Of course it seemed unromantic compared to John's expensive boat night. She didn't care if she ended up with either of them, Kate knew she would reference every date to that perfect night on the water.

Knock at the door. Kate quickly jumped from her computer desk and fixed her wavy hair one last time, pushing the bangs a little behind her ear. She checked her mascara and smoothed down her navy blue halter dress with the fake silver stones set in a circle around the area where the halter attached to the dress. She glided over to the dorm door in her small silver heels and opened to see a pretty nice looking Scott standing with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. Kate thanked him for the flowers and quickly put them in a vase. Then they walked to the car and Kate looked out the window in silence.

She had hung out with John that day, while Scott was in class. They had done a little homework and mainly talked. She was fully convinced that John had changed. Even John Tucker couldn't fake the way he casually carried a conversation without hitting on her or without eyeing another woman, even when they were sitting in the campus quad. Their meeting remained unromantic, for Kate's sake just in case one of Scott's friends were watching, and for John's sake because he didn't want to lose her by moving too fast.

"Oh I never thanked you for taking off with my car after our date," John said sarcastically without looking up from his algebra book.

Kate giggled, "Well, I could've just walked the five miles back to the campus in my red heels which I found out I had broken in our mad dash to your bedroom."

John looked up from his book. "What?"

"Oh my gosh, you don't know."

"What?" he repeated, pressing for information.

"Well I guess it makes sense, you probably thought you just slept naked," Kate rambled. "John, we had sex."

"Oh, that's why you took my jeep?" John asked. "But you were gone before I woke up. And Scott was there that morning…"

Kate explained her escape and he laughed. "Kate, I'm sorry I honestly didn't mean for that date to turn into something like that. Honestly, I'm not just interested in your body."

"Well it didn't seem like you were."

"No, Kate, I really do love you. And I'll wait for you to love me back if that's what you choose."

He seemed so casual about it. Not the sort of casual where it seemed like he just didn't care. The casual where he actually respected her and her terrifying decision.

The car came to a slow stop in a compact parking place and Kate looked over at Scott. They got out of the car and walked into the restaurant. The same restaurant she had been in with John.

He seemed to know she was thinking about the restaurant. "I've never been here before but I guess my dad knows the owner well," Scott said, smiling.

As soon as she entered the host called out to her, "Ma'am so nice to see you again!"

Scott looked at her, "You've been here before?"

"Yeah," she laughed nervously, "Just me and Carrie on a lunch date."

The meal went by rather smoothly and she enjoyed the food… again. No wine to wash it down with this time, but Kate figured she might need to stay away from alcohol for a little bit. They spent the meal in conversation, talking about their classes, their families, their friends, but never about each other. Well, once he mentioned how nice it was that they were still together after a year. _Oh I wish I could tell him. _

Most of all Kate was nervous that he would say he loved her but he didn't mention it. She was relieved because she still wasn't sure what her response would be.

After dinner, Scott had the idea that they should go on a romantic drive around town. They could look at all the places they've been and places they want to go. Kate agreed it was a cute idea. So an hour later, it was about ten o'clock and they got back in the car after taking a picture on a park bench in the park where they had first kissed. So the whole date had gone by smoothly, but Kate still felt that knot in her stomach like she had to throw up the truth all over Scott's nicely upholstered car. And all she could think about was how ashamed she would be to ruin the inside of his car, metaphorically.

So they sat there for a while, parked, and talking. Then they started kissing and as soon as he wrapped his arms around her, Kate knew who she was supposed to be with.


	7. The Decision

Well, it's only been about eight months since I updated last. I'm so sorry guys I haven't even been thinking about the story lately. But here's the second-to-last chapter and I think it's worth the wait. Keep reviewing and nagging me through emails and I'll update the last chapter soon. Thanks for sticking with me.

Sincerely,

Your super lame author.

* * *

She felt his cold, scrawny arms on her back and she imagined John's huge, strong arms there instead. She loved the way John would hold her so tight it felt like she couldn't breathe. Mrs. Tucker's words flooded her mind, at first whispering. But the more she ignored them, the louder they got and Kate couldn't ignore them anymore. "When you find yourself in someone's arms and you feel yourself wanting to be in the others', that's when you'll know who to choose."

"Do you wanna go back to my dorm?" Scott whispered.

Kate stared at him and tried to lie. "I would love to but I just remembered I have an essay due tomorrow that I am not nearly finished with." Scott looked hurt. "I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry," Kate said as she picked up her purse and opened the car door.

"Hon, it's okay, it's just a paper. Here let me drive you back to your dorm," he recovered. Little did he know, she was apologizing for much more.

"No, it's okay, I need to walk to start thinking about my paper in my head," Kate lied again.

She stepped away in her heels thinking of what she needed to say. Luckily, they had parked only a little bit away from the Tucker home and Kate could walk there quickly. As she came up the street, she got so excited that she took off her heels and started running. She had to tell him, she had to tell him now. She walked around to the backyard and up the balcony stairs. She opened the door with a burst in all her excited energy and saw John jump as he sat there on his bed watching SportsCenter.

"Kate, are you ok?" he asked, standing.

"Yes, John, I'm finally okay. I've finally realized who I want to be with," she said, out of breath. She could almost see him sweating. "John, I want to be with _you_. I love _you_."

As soon as she said the words John's face turned from distress to joy and he scooped her up in a hug. They hugged for probably a minute or so before he let her go.

"Kate, I love you."

She kissed him and they spent all night cuddling each other and enjoying the love they had. She hadn't planned on it, but she fell asleep in John's arms, in her navy blue dress.

* * *

When she woke up, Kate pried herself from John's arms and made her way to the bathroom adjoining his room. When she stepped out she decided to see if Mrs. Tucker was available to talk to. She heard Scott's voice downstairs. Her natural instinct told her to freeze. But Kate knew what she had to do.

She took the stairs step by step in her bare feet. As she reached the bottom steps she stopped and sat on them.

"Mom, I don't understand," Scott said.

"Honey, I don't know what to tell you," the mother said.

"Well she's never made up an imaginary essay to get out of coming over to my place before. Do you think it's over?"

"I don't know, darling, that's up to you two."

"Mom, I love her but these last few months have been, well, boring."

"How so?"

"I don't know, maybe we've just fallen out of love."

"Are you sure you two were ever in love?"

"I'm pretty sure."

"Well you kids throw love and hate around so much these days that us old folks don't even know anymore."

He laughed, "I don't know, Mom. Maybe we never were in love."

"Well I think we were," Kate said, emerging from her spot on the stairs.

"Kate, what are you doing here…wearing the dress you were wearing last night?" Scott asked.

Mrs. Tucker stood up from her seat, "Oh, we, uh, we just let her stay the night since her car broke down so close to here…" she began to lie.

"Mrs. Tucker, it's fine," Kate stopped her. "Scott I have to talk to you." Mrs. Tucker left the room and Kate sat in the chair across from Scott.

"What's going on Kate?"

"Scott, there's no easy way to say this. I could tell you that this last year has been fun, because it really has. You've saved me from so much (fights with my mom and my friends), and I really can't thank you enough for protecting me and showing me love. But you know how you can love something for so long and all of the sudden you're just… you can't love it anymore? Like my mom, I loved her for eighteen years and I suppose I still do but I couldn't take that lifestyle anymore. I had run that course long enough and I was ready to move on. Well, Scott, I guess we could apply that to our love. I mean I thought I was crazy when I first realized that we might be over, but now hearing you admit it too I'm thinking I might be normal."

"I agree," he nodded.

Kate continued, "So we're both agreed that we're done?" He nodded. "Because I have something to tell you." She started with John's admission at Thanksgiving and worked her way up to talking with his mother.

"My mother knew?" Scott asked, surprised.

Kate nodded, "Well, that's not the worst part either." She hadn't told him about sleeping with John yet. So she did and she explained to him how much of an accident it had been at the time.

"You, you slept with my _brother?_" he accused. His eyes swelled up with water, and she took his hand and explained how it was such an accident and he hadn't even known about it. _I wish this could be easier,_ Kate thought to herself.

He cried for a few minutes and Kate herself could feel a few tears working their way past her mascara that was still on from last night.

"So what, you just slept with him last night? That's why you lied to me?" Scott asked, apparently furious at her.

Kate shook her head and felt a tear drop onto her cheek, "I didn't sleep with him last night, I promise. Scott I know this is hard, I… I can't imagine what it's like from your end. This has happened to you so many times before and I just can't… I can't make this easier. I've thought about this for such a long time and I didn't even think waking up yesterday morning that I would be breaking your heart today."

Scott took his hand from hers and sat there silent for a while.

"Scott? Are you okay?" Kate asked after a few minutes.

He shook his head and stood from his seat. He headed toward the direction of the stairs and Kate didn't even think about it for a moment. All she could think about were the good times she had had with Scott and what she was jeopardizing those for. She heard a yell from upstairs and bounced from her chair and ran to John's room. There Scott stood with his hand repeatedly moving into John's face. Scott was punching John!

Kate screamed and Scott turned around to see her. Tears still streamed down his face and John took the moment to get him from behind. Before she knew it, Scott was gasping for air in a wrestling position with John. Scott broke from the position and ran down the stairs and Kate stood there crying. John let Scott leave and looked up to see Kate. He immediately held her in a gentle hug and Kate told him how she had broken the news to him.

"I assumed so," John said softly, "My scrawny little brother doesn't usually attempt to hurt me." He had a black eye from the impact of the first punch or two, but John seemed un-phased by the wrestling.

Kate looked at John's eyes and saw past the already purplish bruising of the right one. He smiled at her and Kate couldn't help but falling in love with him every time he smiled. Yes, this definitely felt right. This was definitely the one she was meant to be with. Their drunken mistake had turned into love, just like Mr. and Mrs. Tucker.

* * *

You didn't think I would leave you on that lame cliff-hanger did you? Nope. There's a nice little resolution chapter coming up.


	8. Happily Ever After

Last chapter! Sorry for keeping you hanging again :(

* * *

Kate took her first step onto the grass. Here she was, two years after the Scott and John incident taking baby steps again. Each step in her head represented a different memory in the past few years.

One. Scott hadn't talked to her for six weeks after the break-up. It was heart-wrenching but she knew she made the right choice.

Two. Her mother had died from chronic hepatitis B. Of course, she got it as an STD, but she had been stubborn enough not to get the right treatments and had died in the few months after the incident. Of course Kate was sad, but she knew it would happen eventually.

Three. Beth had a pregnancy scare and swore off being with men until she was married. It lasted a month.

Four. John moved out into an apartment closer to the campus. He loved his parents but he definitely needed freedom and he really enjoyed having his own space.

Five. Heather finally earned a spot on the university cheer squad. After months of hard workouts, she made her way into the pyramid.

Six. Carrie finished her children's book and made a small fortune. It was a super cute story about the sun and how it had to stay so far away from its friends. Kate would've bought it herself.

Seven. John had proposed. He bought the most beautiful ring and it fit perfectly. Of course she had accepted and that was the best night of her life.

Eight. Heather fell for a handsome quarterback. No surprise there. He was nice, too.

Nine. John got to start in a game on the university basketball team. He scored so many baskets the coach let him keep starting. He ultimately broke records, being the first sophomore to score so many points in a season.

Ten. Kate was getting married. Here. Right now. In fact, she was just approaching the altar now.

One tearful ceremony later, John kissed the bride. Kate felt all eyes on her, as they should be (it is her wedding day, after all). She couldn't help but feel happy. She knew that just two years ago she was sure she was going to marry Scott. They seemed so perfect together but there just wasn't anything there in the end, and Kate felt like she picked the right man.

She finally ended up having a mother. Through the death of hers, Kate found comfort in Mrs. Tucker most of all and as of today was able to call her mother-in-law. She also looked over to John's side of the room and saw Scott standing next to the other groomsmen. As if on cue, he walked over to talk to her and John continued to mingle with others in the room.

"Hey Kate, can you believe that two years ago I was standing there next to you and not way over there?" he joked. It was funny how something so serious had turned into the biggest casual joke between them.

She laughed, "And can you believe two years ago that was me, cursing because I couldn't fit my feet into my shoes?" She pointed over to Scott's girlfriend, Tara. Tara was pregnant but she had already graduated.

"Oh you wish," Scott laughed.

Scott walked away and Kate turned around to see her three best friends ready to hug her.

"I'm so proud, you didn't run away!" Beth laughed.

"See, I told you we didn't need to get her stilettos!" Carrie joined in mocking her.

Kate had had cold feet before the wedding, but now she had no regrets.

Heather smiled, "Kate this is happiness. You've got some struggles coming up, but you and John were meant to be together and that's all you need right there. I hope Aaron and I end up like you two."

Kate hugged her again, "So this is the end. I don't have to worry about dates and boyfriends anymore. I've got my husband and my best friends, and my new mother. I'm finished."

"Lucky," Beth muttered.

They laughed and Kate saw John across the room waving at her. She waved back and looked around the room. Most of the occupants of the room were John's friends and family but Kate appreciated every one of them. They had all in some way influenced her decision to take the best Tucker.

_I love John Tucker._


End file.
